Sawx aren’t terminal yet, but getting close
IT hasn’t gotten to the point where the funeral directors in Boston can begin preparing Fenway Park for an AL East wake. No need to reserve New England’s living room from two-to-four and seven-to-nine when it comes to the Red Sox repeating as divisional champs. Not time to open a cash bar for the bartenders who otherwise get stiffed while people stand around and drink in front of a stiff.
Nevertheless, after getting their lungs ripped out last weekend in Boston and losing three of four to raise questions about their starting rotation not being good enough, the Yankees rebounded Friday night in The Bronx.
That they did it was partially because of James Paxton’s left arm removing some of the sting of not getting a starting pitcher before this past week’s trade deadline when GM Brian Cashman said the prices were too high.
Paxton, who was spanked for seven runs and nine hits (four homers) last Friday night at Fenway, gave up a two-run homer to J.D. Martinez in the first inning and nothing across the next five to help the Yankees to a well-played 4-2 victory that was witnessed by a sold-out crowd of 46,932.
Gleyber Torres crushed a first-inning grand slam off Eduardo Rodriguez and the Yankees’ bullpen — a unit that Cashman also attempted to get help for — chipped in with three scoreless frames.
Maybe in places like the 4th Wall on Tremont or Sullivan’s in Charlestown, self-loathing Red Sox fans believe being 11 ½ lengths back of the AL East-leading Yankees with 51 games remaining, being seven games north of .500 and trailing the second-place Rays by four furlongs is a reason to disbelieve and turn the attention toward
securing one of the two AL wild-card bids.
Yet, July turned into August and despite the injuries continuing to mount, the 69-39 Yankees have their hands on the throat of their blood rivals who have dropped a season-high five straight.
The Yankees moved to 30 games above not long after Aaron Boone spoke these words about shortstop Didi Gregorius being out of the lineup with a strain between the ring finger and pinky on the left hand: “We are hoping to avoid an IL situation.’’
What Yankee dodges the IL this year? They have placed 23 players on the IL and used it 27 times so the Red Sox can’t count on injuries bringing the Yankees down.
Nor do the defending World Champions figure to get help from the schedule. When the Red Sox leave The Bronx after Sunday night’s game, the Yankees will face the putrid Orioles and Blue Jays in the following 11 games.
“Obviously what happened in Fenway was easier to swallow since we had a nine-game lead, it gives you breathing room,’’ said Zack Britton, who worked a perfect eighth. “That being said we know what they are capable of doing. They have a really good offense.’’
The live bats the Yankees silenced aren’t enough for the Red Sox to take down the Yankees on their own. Help is needed because injuries aren’t going to sink the Yankees, who might get boosts from Luis Severino and Dellin Betances in areas Cashman felt the asking price was too high. At some point the Yankees hope to get Giancarlo Stanton back, too.
Ordering flowers and draping Fenway in purple might be premature in the first week of August, but the numbers and calendar don’t lie. Last year’s champs are very close to looking at a wild-card ticket to get into the postseason and there is no guarantee that will happen, either.